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How to Start a Non-Commercial Information Services Business in Dubai with Meydan Free Zone
Not every organisation that produces and distributes information does so to generate revenue. Think tanks, policy research institutes, public interest data platforms, open knowledge foundations, and civil society information services all operate within ISIC class 6399 — other information service activities not elsewhere classified — but their defining characteristic is that information provision serves a public benefit, educational, or mission-driven purpose rather than a commercial one. Code 6399.97 under Meydan Free Zone is the designated sub-code for Non-Commercial Information Services, providing the legal entity framework for organisations whose information activities sit within the ISIC class but outside the revenue-maximising commercial model covered by sibling codes.
The UAE has built one of the most ambitious non-commercial knowledge production ecosystems in the world. The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF) co-produces the Global Knowledge Index with the United Nations Development Programme, covering 133 countries across seven composite sub-indices of education, ICT, research, development, and economy, according to UNDP¹. The UAE ranked 26th globally and first among all Arab countries in the 2023 edition. The MBRF’s ninth Knowledge Summit was held at Dubai World Trade Centre in November 2024 under the theme ‘Future Skills and AI Economy’. In September 2024, UNDP and MBRF launched the Future Skills Academy to provide skills development across the Arab region.
The On Think Tanks 2024 State of the Sector Report surveyed nearly 300 organisations across 95 countries and noted that the MENA region’s think tanks are increasingly deploying policy briefs and public events as their primary tools for influencing decision-makers on economic reform, social development, and sustainability, according to On Think Tanks². The Open Think Tank Directory, also maintained by On Think Tanks, lists more than 3,800 organisations globally. The Mohammed bin Rashid School of Government (MBRSG) operates as a regional think tank with coverage spanning the 22 states of the Arab world, producing research aligned with UAE national development agendas.
Who is this for?
| Audience Segment | Profile |
|---|---|
| Policy research institutes and think tanks | Organisations conducting policy research and producing publicly accessible information outputs including reports, indices, data, briefings, and analysis for governments, institutions, and the public without a primary commercial revenue objective, operating as registered non-profit or mission-driven entities. |
| Public interest data and knowledge platforms | Operators running open-access knowledge platforms, public interest databases, civic information services, and open data repositories that make research, data, or curated information freely available to users without charging for access, funded by grants, endowments, or public sources. |
| Foundations and charitable information services | Foundations, charitable organisations, and civil society bodies that provide information services as part of their public benefit mission, including knowledge-sharing programmes, capacity-building information services, and educational information platforms aimed at community development. |
6399.97 - Non-Commercial Information Services
| Category | Scope |
|---|---|
| Policy research and think tank information services | Policy research institutes and think tank information services Operation of a policy research institute or think tank that produces and disseminates information outputs including research reports, policy briefs, indices, data publications, and analysis to governments, institutions, and the public, on a non-commercial basis with a public interest mandate. UAE context: The Mohammed bin Rashid School of Government (MBRSG) operates as a regional think tank spanning the 22 states of the Arab world, producing policy research aligned with UAE national development agendas. TRENDS Research and Advisory is a UAE-based institute providing research to UAE government agencies. The On Think Tanks 2024 State of the Sector Report drew responses from 300 organisations across 95 countries and noted that MENA think tanks are increasingly using policy briefs and public events to influence decision-makers on economic reform, social development, and environmental sustainability. |
| Public interest knowledge platforms and open data | Public interest knowledge platforms and open data services Operation of open-access knowledge platforms, public interest information repositories, and civic data services that collect, curate, and make available research, statistics, or structured information freely accessible to the public, civil society, and government without commercial access charges. UAE context: The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF) co-produces the Global Knowledge Index with UNDP, covering 133 countries across seven composite sub-indices. The UAE ranked 26th globally and first among Arab countries in the 2023 edition. The MBRF’s Knowledge Summit 2024, held at Dubai World Trade Centre in November 2024 under the theme ‘Future Skills and AI Economy’, brought together global speakers on artificial intelligence, technology, education, and the knowledge economy. The UNDP and MBRF also launched the Future Skills Academy in September 2024 to provide skills training across the Arab region. |
| Foundations and charitable information services | Foundation and charitable information service programmes Provision of information services by foundations, civil society bodies, and charitable organisations as part of a public benefit or community development mission, including knowledge-sharing programmes, capacity-building information initiatives, and educational information platforms that advance social development objectives. UAE context: The UAE’s knowledge economy ambition is institutionally embedded. The Mohammed bin Rashid Global Initiatives (MBRGI) invested AED 634 million in education and knowledge programmes in a single year. UAE Centennial 2071 establishes knowledge as a foundational pillar of the country’s long-term development strategy. The Global Knowledge Index, produced in Dubai, now serves as a qualitative resource for development strategies in 133 countries, demonstrating the UAE’s role as a creator rather than merely a consumer of global knowledge infrastructure. A Meydan Free Zone licence under code 6399.97 provides the legal entity basis for non-commercial information service operations aligned with this environment. |
Code 6399.97 covers information service activities within ISIC class 6399 conducted on a non-commercial basis. It does not cover commercial information services, which are covered by sibling codes within the 6399.xx group. It also does not cover educational institutions (ISIC division 85), libraries and archives (ISIC 9101), religious or cultural organisations (ISIC 9491–9499), news agency activities (ISIC 6391), broadcasting (ISIC division 60), or publishing (ISIC division 58). The class expressly excludes call centre activities. Non-commercial information services must still comply with applicable UAE federal regulations, including media content requirements where relevant.
In short: if you provide information services in the public interest, on a non-commercial, mission-driven, or charitable basis within the ISIC 6399 class, you are in. If you operate a commercial information business, a call centre, a library, a broadcaster, or an educational institution, you are not.
Third-Party Approval
Non-Commercial Information Services does not require pre-approval from any third-party regulatory authority as a condition of the Meydan Free Zone licence, and the licence may be issued directly without external sign-off prior to commencing non-commercial information service activities.
Anti-Money Laundering Compliance
Non-Commercial Information Services is not classified as a Designated Non-Financial Business or Profession (DNFBP) under UAE anti-money laundering legislation, and businesses operating under this activity code are not subject to AML registration or reporting obligations specific to this licence category.
References
- ¹ UNDP Arab States, Global Knowledge Index 2024 - https://www.undp.org/arab-states/publications/global-knowledge-index-2024
- ² On Think Tanks, Challenges and Opportunities for Think Tanks in the MENA Region — 2024 State of the Sector - https://onthinktanks.org/articles/challenges-opportunities-think-tanks-mena-region/
- ³ Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation, MBRF — Knowledge Foundation - https://mbrf.ae/en
- ⁴ RealKM, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation Knowledge Summit 2024 - https://realkm.com/2024/10/30/mohammed-bin-rashid-al-maktoum-knowledge-foundation-mbrf-knowledge-summit-2024/
- ⁵ Mohammed bin Rashid School of Government, Policy Research Department - https://mbrsg.ae/edi
